Sanibel-Captiva Islander

Community members were treated to an assortment of healthy, fresh summer salads that were made step-by-step last week by the co-owner of The Sanibel Sprout during the monthly potluck dinners at the Community House.

In addition to teaching those in attendance how to prepare summer salads and homemade dressings, Nikki Rood provided some information about why it’s important to fuel the body with healthy foods.

Rood, who owns the shop located near Bailey’s with her mom, moved to Sanibel from Miami three years ago when her mom was suffering from Leukemia. The two decided to work on her mom’s diet to see if that would help her health.

“I said do you want to try and tackle this and take this on and see what a plant based whole food, no chemical, diet might make a change in your condition,” she said. “She was completely game. For a month every single morning I cooked for her or prepared for her all plant based (foods.)”

In three months time, a visit to her mother’s oncologist confirmed that a plant based diet was beneficial.

“In three months she went to her oncologist and her numbers were fabulous. The guy wanted to know what she did and we just laughed all the way home,” Root said. “She has never turned back and it is now three or four years later.”

Before she took those in attendance through the preparations of chilled almond curried salad, arugula and fresh pear salad and island coconut quinoa confetti salad she shared some information about the role food has with health.

“Everyday there is new research coming out on how our food sources have been poisoned if you will,” Rood said. “This isn’t sensationalism. This is proven fact. The rash of the epidemic of chronic disease, like cancers and autoimmune disease, inflammatory diseases, it’s starting to look like the food source has been a large part of the problem. All of the problem, no. As a civilization there are many things going on. But I think if we move back towards the way we used to eat . . .good healthy nutritious organic food that isn’t sprayed and manipulated and processed and sitting on a shelf for five years before we even touch it.”

She told the crowd that there is vitality in fresh food that offers an aliveness, which translates to the body.

“When you eat it you can feel the difference between eating a fresh vibrant salad and fit and a McDonald’s burger,” Rood said. “You can feel the heaviness in your body or you can feel the light.”

The dialogue of fresh foods, she believes should continue, so people can take the power back from big farms and big agriculture entities.

“Everybody’s body is different and for me to sit up here and tell you, you should eat a certain way is disingenuous,” Rood said. “I am here to show you some healthy options and some fun ways to make some tasty foods that are really going to fuel your body instead of harm your body.”

Information about acid alkaline, and wheat and gluten were discussed while she prepared the various salads.

Lemons are a great source for acid that is good for the body. A glass of water with a slice of lemon, Root said is a great way to start the day.

She said more and more people are forming allergies to gluten and wheat because an individual’s digestive tract becomes compromised from a lifetime of ingesting various chemicals found in foods.

“You can get a heavy feeling or it can actually cause depression, inflammation,” Root said. “If you are feeling not well in many cases you may be eating an inflammatory diet without recognizing it and that will wreak havoc to your sleep cycles and your digestion.”

A unique fundraising effort that includes the public’s participation of an original idea created by one of CROW’s volunteers is in full swing.

Cecilia Tweedy, head of the CROW cookbook committee and longtime volunteer, said the idea of creating a cookbook surfaced in February after brainstorming fundraising ideas. She said on a whim she created a proposal and shared it with the executive director of CROW, who told her to run with the cookbook idea.

The adventures of figuring out how to put a cookbook together began as she visited stores seeking information and ideas about what paper to use for the cookbook, as well as which printers to use.

“They were explaining things in a different language,” she said laughing. “I don’t understand bond and thickness, all of which I had samples of.”

With not fully grasping all the information that was shared, Tweedy decided to contact The Sanibel School and ask if she could meet with someone from the art department. The phone call put her in touch with Tylor Stewart and 10 fifth grade students.

Tweedy said Stewart and her students were writing an organic cookbook at the time because they have an organic garden at the school.

“I met with the children at the school and was honestly overwhelmed,” she said.

After arriving at the school, Tweedy was greeted by 10 kids with folders who introduced themselves through a handshake. She said after she explained her problem the kids opened their folders and one at a time asked three questions, some of which included what is your marketing plan and what size cookbook do you want to use.

“Throughout the whole process these 10 children, who have submitted 10 recipes, have been totally supportive of this book and of CROW,” Tweedy said. “They helped me choose the bond and the size of the cookbook. Incredible. Incredible.”

Since the children became supportive of CROW she asked how many had visited the facility, which resulted in about half of them raising their hand. On Feb. 19, the 10 children were led on a tour of the entire facility, which resulted in them becoming bigger ambassadors and supporters of CROW.

“Their power, plus the proposal got me going . . . got me on track and I knew where I had to go,” Tweedy said.

From there, she formed a committee of folks who volunteer at CROW who met on a weekly basis. On April 24, the committee felt they had a great handle on how the cookbook will look and what it will contain.

The philosophy of the cookbook is “healthy recipes written with clarity.”

“From the design of the cover to the separation of categories, to the dedication is just spectacular. It’s going to be a legacy for CROW, honestly,” Tweedy said. “It’s going to be really wonderful. We chose great colors and I think everybody is going to be really thrilled with it.”

The cookbook, which bares the name “Recipes to CROW About featuring Taste of the Island Restaurants,” will contain 250 recipes from such groups as the 27 restaurants who participate in Taste of the Islands, CROW volunteers and the general public.

The community can submit recipes by emailing them to crowrecipes@gmail.com. Tweedy said those interested should include the name of the recipe, ingredients and their name in the email. The committee is taste testing the recipes before they are formatted for the cookbook.

Those who wish to contribute are asked to send the recipes as soon as possible, so they can be formatted for the cookbook.

“I got 27 recipes from Facebook,” Tweedy said Thursday morning. “Most of which are from island people and volunteers.”

The cookbook is split into five categories – appetizers, main dishes, vegetarian dishes, soup and salad and dessert. Throughout the cookbook five inserts will be included providing helpful hints for cooking.

Tweedy said she hopes to launch the cookbook at Taste of the Islands.

“The profits will go towards CROW,” she said, adding “Not only are we going to produce a cookbook for $20, but it’s an eBook as well. You can take your cookbook anywhere you want.”

“Recipes to CROW About,” will also be available on Amazon.

“It will be a healthy contribution for CROW in terms of profit because we all have done the work,” Tweedy said.

Baseball fans and their four-legged friends are invited to attend the next Miracle baseball game this Friday at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.

Illy and Lucy

“There is nothing more American than baseball and bringing your dog out to the game,” Bill Levy, director of ticket operations and sales advisor for Fort Myers Miracle, said.

This Friday’s game, July 24, at 7:05 p.m. against the Tampa Yankees, marks the fourth “Dog Daze of Summer” program offered at the stadium. The final and fifth program offered this summer will be held on Friday, Aug. 14.

The program is a promotion Fort Myers Miracle began that has really taken off over the years. Levy said they are averaging anywhere from 150 to 200 dogs ranging from small to large each game. He said some people bring two or three dogs with them.

Illy and Lucy

“This year we have seen a jump of (fans) taking their dogs to the game. It has seen growth every year the team has done it,” he said. “It’s probably one of our most anticipated programs. It has become a staple here. People look forward to it.”

Although there are no restrictions for the fan’s dogs, Levy said they ask that all dogs are kept on a leash, are well-behaved and not aggressive towards other dogs and fans. He said they want the dogs to complement the family-friendly atmosphere that Fort Myers Miracle offers.

The July 24 game will feature the Lee County Domestic Animal Service and its food drive. Attendees are asked to bring donations of dry and canned dog food, cat littler, wipes, tissues and paper towels. Levy said anyone that brings a donation will receive $2 off general admission tickets the day of the game.

Pet friendly vendors also will be present during the Friday game. Levy said Glamour Paws, Pet Supermarket and Invisible Fence are among some of the businesses that will be in attendance.

Illy

All American Pet Resort will have its mascot at the game and kiddie pools will be set up around Hammond Stadium for the dogs to splash in and cool off.

Andrea Miller with the Sanibel Recreation Center said they always try to pull together at least one activity a month for the community to enjoy. For the month of July they decided to provide tickets at the center for the “Dog Daze of Summer” Miracle Game this Friday.

“They give us a group discount rate,” she said, adding that residents and tourists can “come here and pick them up.”

Tickets, which are $9.75 for adults and children, are available at the Sanibel Recreation Center through Wednesday, July 22, or while supplies last.

The Sanibel Recreation Center is located at 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road. For more information, call (239) 472-0345.

Lucy

Levy encourages everyone, whether they enjoy baseball or not, to attend the game.

“This is just a fun event for everyone,” he said. “People seem to be more in a good mood when they are around dogs and animals. They have an extra step to them when people are around animals. (Animals) tend to bring out the best in people.”

Levy said the baseball players also get involved in the festivities while taking pictures with their fan’s dogs.

Tickets purchased at the stadium the night of the game are $8 for general admission and $10 for box seats.

I’ve been on cloud nine since June 8 when I started working full-time again as the new editor of the Sanibel-Captiva Islander on beautiful Sanibel Island. Every day as I drive over the bridge there’s a calmness that takes over as I take in the scenery. On more than one occasion I have stopped on the causeway at the beginning and at the end of the day, just to take in the beauty, take a deep breath.

My passion for my craft has ignited again. I absolutely loved working from home creating my own hours, well running my own show. But . . . I have to admit that I love working in an office outside of my home even more. It’s nice having that interaction with others face-to-face instead of just over the phone. It’s nice to leave work and officially leave my work at the office.

The best part are some of the assignments I have given myself to fill my paper.

My assignments have been fun over the last month, especially when they take me outdoors to further enjoy the tranquility of the island. This week I went on the Tarpon Bay explorers nature cruise and loved every minute of it because of the wildlife I was able to capture.

Here are a few pictures of what I was able to capture . . .

The best part was spotting dolphins, which are in the above two pictures.

The backyard of Dave Krajnak’s home, which began as a sanctuary for many animals recovering from an injury, has become a forever home for many varieties of birds, turtles and iguanas over the years.

He said he developed a love for animals as a young boy growing up in Wisconsin due to the proximity of farms surrounding his folks home. Krajnak said his wife Blanche’s, love of animals is partially why many of the animals were adopted, because she fell in love with each one as they took care of them.

The couple worked with CROW for many years helping rescue animals – and on occasion provided a foster home for them. A number of their African sulcata turtle’s, the third largest tortoises in the world, came from CROW.

Krajnak said they purchased their first sulcata from a reptile fair in 2002 before additional tortoises joined the family as rescues. Two of them were found after hurricanes, and one was found walking on the island.

The backyard has been turned into a sanctuary for the tortoises, providing ample opportunities to walk into huts Krajnak built to provide shelter. The yard, which is now sand, also gives the tortoises the opportunity to dig when they are feeling dehydrated.

He said after it rains, the tortoises flip mud onto their backs from the water that forms into puddles to stay cool. The tortoises also fling dry sand onto their backs, again to stay cool.

The tortoises eat eight or nine cases of romaine lettuce a week, which is a good water source for them. They also eat vegetables like zucchini and squash, as well as prickly pear.

Toby is the couple’s biggest sulcata tortoise, weighing in around 275 pounds.

Others that share a smaller portion of the the backyard include the red foot and yellow-foot tortoises.

Cuban, blue rhino (otherwise known as a blue iguana), and regular iguanas can be found in large cages right off the back porch of his home, all ranging in size from small to large, and have many levels to enjoy in their habitat.

Krajnak said after you work and spend time with the iguanas, they become tame, which affords him with the opportunity to hold them when wearing gloves.

In addition to the reptiles, many songs can be heard while visiting Krajnak’s home from the cockatiel’s, a ring-neck parakeet that was found at Jerry’s Food’s, finches, and an African gray parrot. Two conure also call the Krajnak’s their home.

He said when they took in Ricky, one of the two conures, he had no feathers and his skin was completely irritated. After drinking fresh water, the feathers started to grow back.

“When you get to know their attitude and activities it creates trust and it helps,” Krajnak said of the birds.

When Krajnak is not taking care of the animals, he is spending time at The Lighthouse Cafe, where he became the chef almost 26 years ago in 1989.

“I love playing with food,” he said. “Good food makes people happy.”

As the chef, Krajnak takes on the task of creating five or six specials a day for the “board” at the cafe. For dinner he creates a chef menu, often including a variety of available seasonal fish.

In addition to creating menu items at the restaurant, Krajnak also spends time preparing food for catering jobs, many of which are done through the restaurant. Often Blanche, who works at the bakery at Jerry’s Foods, helps with catering by baking desserts for the party.

One of his longest catering gigs happened in 2004 when Hurricane Charley impacted the area. He cooked and prepared food alongside his wife for 11 straight days. What started off as serving 40 people ended with more than 100 by the end of the 11 days.

The idea sprang after the restaurants on the island were having a hard time keeping the food fresh without electricity. When that food started going bad, Sysco Foods began dropping off food to use.

The couple cooked food for such entities as law enforcement, Florida Wildlife and marine patrol during the cleanup effort.

A tent was erected and a table was set up, so the food could be served buffet style.

The menu included such meals as steaks, potatoes and corn to barbecue pork, beans corn on the cob and corn bread and sloppy joe’s, coleslaw and German potato salad.

Many times Krajnak was escorted in by Scott Ashby of the Sanibel Police Department because of the standstill traffic on the island. He said the sirens were turned on and as he drove onto the causeway everyone began clapping and boats started to come in knowing there was good food to be enjoyed.

The Community House came alive Wednesday night as individuals drifted into the facility with dishes in hand to share with others during the Wednesday potluck dinner and presentation by FruitScapes Owner Steve Cucura.

The large round tables filled with smiling faces as individuals caught up with friends and introduced themselves to some of the new faces that graced the center.

As attendees filled plates high with a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts, they also had the opportunity to taste four different kinds of mangos that were at each table – Tommy Adkins, cogshall, nam doc mai and kent.

FruitScapes owner Steve Cucura began his presentation by giving an overview of the history of mangos, which are indigenous to India. He said mangos do not have a big production in the United States and they are hard to import because of the time it takes to ship them into the states.

“I’m from Virginia originally and I grew up tasting mangos in the grocery store and hated them,” he said. “I tried them one time and I never ate a mango again when I was living up there. I thought that was just how mangos were. Mangos are not an American produce. They only grow it in Florida and very restricted areas in California.”

In the late 1980’s Cucura was introduced to the mango again after visiting with a friend in Sarasota, who had a mango tree that grew a variety of 15 different kinds on one tree.

“I thought it was pretty extravagant having so many different varieties on there,” he said.

After Cucura tried a mango fresh from a tree he became hooked and traveled to India where he was introduced to more varieties.

“They have selected and kind of human engineered better varieties,” Cucura said of mangos that started in India thousands of years ago.

From India, the mangos traveled throughout the tropics before being introduced to Miami in 1880. Mangos do well in Florida because the weather is similar to that of India. Cucura said in India they have a drought for eight or nine months and a monsoon season for two or there months, which is very similar to Florida.

“Our climate mimics the India climate very well,” he said making the mango tree the easiest fruit tree to grow in Florida.

The mango eventually made its way to Pine Island when groves were established in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The mango is significant to Pine Island because the land is cheap and there are not too many tourists because there are no beaches, he said

Cucura said the north end of Pine Island is the best place to grow mangos because it is south of Charlotte Harbor, which holds all the heat during the winter time.

Mangos only ripen during the summer because once the temperatures drop below 70 degrees they no longer go through photosynthesis. He said mangos need both heat and moisture to produce a fruit.

The peak mango season falls between the beginning of June to the end of August. Cucura said they have about 80 varieties of mangos that will ripen one week after another with July 4 being when the ripe mangos overlap the most.

Cucura also shared information on how the mango tree was initially grown, compared to how it is grown today at his nursery in Bokeelia. He said when producing fruit an individual has to take all the seeds from the tree and grow them, which usually amounts to 1,000 trees.

“Some of them will survive and some of them will not. Some of them will wind up making a lot of fruit and some of them will not,” Cucura said. “Some of them will be a sweet fruit and some of them will not. You go through and select and narrow it down to one out of the thousand seeds that you planted.”

The mango that bares the best smelling leaf typically is among the chosen plant because it means the fruit will have the most flavor.

“Any mango that doesn’t have a stronger smell in the leaf is eliminated almost at birth,” he said.

Mango trees typically grow between five to eight years before they bare fruit because of the juvenile period they go through.

However, mango trees at Cucura’s nursery are grown under different circumstances. Although he grows mango trees by seed, he cuts the top of the tree off when the seedling becomes about a foot in height. Once the top is cut off, Cucura then takes a branch from the mother plant and grafts it onto the seedling.

The process is similar to surgery due to the tree being wrapped up and bagged before being placed in the greenhouse for a couple of months, so it grows and recovers and becomes a clone.

“The root stock is still the seedling, but the top that gives you fruit is a clone of the nam doc mai and it will give you fruit even if its only this tall,” Cucura said showing his hand mid waist. “A grafted tree will give you fruit right away even if it’s small.”

The tree, which is one of the most salt tolerant fruit trees, does not take much care to keep alive. On average it grows two to three feet a year. He said the best way to take care of a mango tree is by placing mulch around the trunk to replace some of the nutrients that are depleted during the fruit baring process.

The next potluck at the Community House will be held on Wednesday, July 22 featuring nutritious summer salads from Executive Chef and The Sanibel Sprout Co-Owner Nikki Rood.

Numerous paintings created by area youths, and some adults, will cover the walls of Phillips Gallery through the end of July. The canvas paintings all share a similar, powerful message about human trafficking and its effects.

The gallery, at BIG ARTS Center, 900 Dunlop Road, is open from noon to 2 p.m. Monday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. On Wednesday, July 22, at 3:30 p.m. Human Trafficking Awareness Partnership, Inc. will hold a special reception featuring a short program and light refreshments at the gallery.

HTAP Executive Director Nola Theiss said the July event will display the students paintings from Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church, Our Mothers Home, Pine Manor Association, Lehigh Acres and Bonita Springs Boys and Girls Club in the center of the gallery .

“We will also invite the other organizations which have hosted ARTREACH programs over the last five years,” she said of The Heights Center and other Boys & Girls Clubs. “We are also interested in having community members. We especially invite Zonta, Rotary, St. Michael’s and the Congregational Church members who have supported ARTREACH.”

“People don’t know how prevalent human trafficking is because it happens ‘beneath the surface.’ This octopus represents how predators trap their victims and take them into the darkness that’s human trafficking.”Our Mother’s Home 2014

One of the many paintings that will be featured during the Wednesday, July 22, event was created in 2014 by youth of Our Mother’s Home titled “Beneath the Surface.” The brightly colored octopus’ tentacles have a firm grasp around a different fish that all have human faces. “People don’t know how prevalent human trafficking is because it happens beneath the surface,” the description reads. “This octopus represents how predators trap their victims and take them into the darkness that’s human trafficking.”

The ARTREACH program has expanded, Theiss said as a result of the biggest human trafficking case taking place in Florida in March when 17 traffickers were arrested. She said a good number of the victims were from Lee and Collier counties.

The case broke, Theiss said, when women victims of the violent crime sought help for custody of their child. She said when the stories of the victims were found to be similar, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement became involved.

“Six victims have been identified and they are all in recovery and have jobs,” Theiss said.

Thirty-percent of children are trafficked by family members, she said, and 11 percent are sought out by strangers who offer the child something they feel they do not have or give them compliments.

The ARTREACH program began in February 2010 as an effort to help spread what kind of dangers are associated with human trafficking, as well as raise awareness of the crime. The program is offered for youngsters 8 and older over a five-day session where they spend time creating a canvas collaboratively depicting what they learned about human trafficking.

“We are telling the kids they can have an impact because they are big,” Theiss said of the canvas paintings. “They are creating actual art.”

Three or four children work together on the same canvas, which many times include a border representing a message that is told within the main masterpiece.

Theiss pointed to a painting at the gallery with feet outlining the canvas sharing the message that human trafficking has a never- ending cycle of running away and the hand within the painting represents never being able to get away.

ARTREACH began with three programs the first year and grew to 10 programs last year. The program, she said, has touched the lives of immigrant and first generation children; foster; African American; Haitian; Latino and domestic kids.

“All those groups need special attention,” Theiss said.

She said they feel it is important to also protect domestic kids who are U.S. citizens because they are also placed in situations where human trafficking can take place. Theiss said the scenario can stem from a simple conversation that is led with the question, “are you here by yourself.” The question, Theiss said most times leads to further information shared and an invitation to meet for the second time.

Each of the at-risk youngsters participating in ARTREACH receive a kit of basic supplies that they can take home. They also walk away with a large post card that has pictures of them working on the canvas, a reproduced image of the final canvas painting and an interpretation of what the painting means.

The facility that hosts the program, also receives a banner with the image the kids created.

Theiss said they recently received a grant from the Bob Rauschenberg Foundation, which awarded HTAP with the opportunity to hire an art instructor and a curriculum director. With an art instructor, she said they can now teach the kids some simple tools to become better painters.

HTAP began on Sanibel because Theiss wanted to build awareness on the topic of human trafficking while getting the community and kids involved in spreading the message.